Fife Flyers

Fife Flyers
City	Kirkcaldy, Scotland
League	Elite Ice Hockey League
Founded	1938
Home arena	Fife Ice Arena
Colours	Blue, gold, and white
Owner(s)	Kirkcaldy Ice Hockey Club Inc.
General manager	Andy McPherson
Head coach	Todd Dutiaume

Fife Flyers Ice Hockey Club are the oldest professional ice hockey club in the UK, established in 1938. The Flyers play their home games at Fife Ice Arena, Kirkcaldy which has a capacity of just under 3400 (seated and standing). The arena is home to not only the Fife Flyers, who play in the Elite Ice Hockey League but also to Kirkcaldy Junior Ice Hockey Club. Many of the Flyers players have come up through the junior ranks and now play at a professional level.

Ice hockey has successfully been a part of the Fife community since the Flyers inaugural season in 1938.

The Flyers have put together a team of top players from the UK, Europe and North America. They joined the EIHL in 2011. The current Head Coach is Canadian Todd Dutiaume who, from the 2016-17 season, is assisted by Jeff Hutchins.^[1]

History

2011–Present

In late June 2011, the Fife Flyers were accepted into the EIHL, replacing the Newcastle Vipers for the 2011–12 season. The Flyers found the going tough in their first season back in Britain's top flight Ice Hockey League. A combination of icing far less imports and the relative inexperience of the British contingent resulted in Flyers missing the playoffs and finishing in last place.

Despite this, there were positives to take from their first season in the EIHL. The British contingent gained experience. The team, led by key players Casey Haines, Derek Keller and Bryan Pitton were almost unbeatable at home, but struggled to win in away games. They finished the league in 7th place which was a net 8th for the playoffs given the conference winners Hull had finished in 8th spot in the league but by virtue of winning the conference, they were seeded 2nd. Fife went on to play the eventual treble, beating Nottingham Panthers over two hotly contested legs, winning 4–2 at home before losing an agonising 3–0 in Nottingham and bowing out of the years playoffs. Controversial refereeing calls also hampered their playoff campaign.

2013–14 brought renewed vigour to the team. Another squad overhaul saw only 2 returning imports from the previous year, with Bobby Chaumont and Danny Stewart returning. The start of the season was poor and continued through the winter. Changes were made in February and the team's form improved significantly. The ensuing successful run allowed them to gain entry to the playoffs in the very last game of the season. They then defeated fierce rivals and Gardiner Conference champions, the Dundee Stars 8–4 on aggregate and made the Final Four playoff finals in Nottingham. The semi-final, against runaway league winners Belfast Giants was a fiercely contested match but the Giants went on to win 1–0.

2014–15 was a mixed season for the Flyers, with many players from the previous season returning. They qualified for the quarter final of the Challenge Cup and playoffs but didn't progress to the finals.

With only Danny Stewart and Kyle Haines as returning imports, the squad had a major overhaul for the 2015–16 season. Flyers finished 6th in the leaguea nd 2nd in the conference, losing out on the final day to Braehead Clan on equal points. Fife drew the Clan in the quarter finals, and won (2–1 at home, 2–2 away after OT).

Elite Ice Hockey League Record

Season	League		Conference		Playoff	Challenge Cup
2011–12	EIHL	10th				Group
2012–13	EIHL	7th	Gardiner	2nd	QF	QF
2013–14	EIHL	7th	Gardiner	3rd	4th	QF
2014–15	EIHL	8th	Gardiner	2nd	QF	QF
2015–16	EIHL	6th	Gardiner	2nd	4th	QF

Facts

First Game: October 1, 1938, vs Dundee Tigers

First Captain: Les Lovell Snr

First Goal Scorer: Norman McQuade

Since Fife Flyers entry in to the amateur Scottish Premier Hockey League, they have won 11 out of 12 trophies whilst recording a new club record of 47 consecutive wins and a 50-game unbeaten run, which stretched from September 2006 to April 2007.

The teams longest serving player is Gordon Latto(Snr) who started playing with Fife Flyers in 1972, and retired in 1998, recording 974 games with a points total of 1265pts.

2016–17 Roster

Goaltenders
Number		Player	Catches	Acquired	Place of Birth
35		Craig Douglas	L	2015	Kirkcaldy, Scotland
50		Shane Owen	L	2016	Shanty Bay, ON, Canada

Defencemen
Number		Player	Shoots	Position	Acquired	Place of Birth
7		Philippe Paquet	L	D	2015	Quebec, QC, Canada
44		Kyle Haines	L	D	2016	Weyburn, SK, Canada
14		David Turon	R	D	2016	Havirov, Czech Republic
55		Ric Jackman	R	D	2016	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
4		Chris Wands	R	D	2011	Kirkcaldy, Scotland
26		Russ Moyer A	L	D	2016	North Bay, Ontario, Canada
2		Thomas Muir	R	D	2011	Kirkcaldy, Scotland

Forwards
Number		Player	Shoots	Position	Acquired	Place of Birth
19		Ryan Dingle C	L	LW	2015	Steamboat Springs, Colorado, United States
27		Shayne Stockton A (road and challenge cup games only)	R	C	2015	Rochester, United States
22		Mathew Sisca	L	C/LW	2016	Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
15		Josh Scoon	R	RW	2008	Kirkcaldy, Scotland
9		Justin Fox A	L	F	2015	Whitby, Ontario, Canada
49		Brendan Brooks	R	C/RW	2016	St Catharines, Ontario, Canada
40		Carlo Finucci	L	LW	2016	Burnaby, BC, Canada
91		Chase Schaber	L	LW/C	2016	Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
43		Sébastien Thinel A (home games only)	L	LW	2016	Saint-Jérôme, QC, Canada
10		Stephen Gunn	R	F	2011	Kirkcaldy, Scotland
23		Jamie Wilson	L	F	2003	Kirkcaldy, Scotland

• * Denotes two-way contract with Kirkcaldy Kestrels of the SNL

Retired Jersey Numbers

• 16 Gordon Latto
• 17 Mark Morrison
• 47 Frank Morris
• 14 – Was considered unlucky and taken out of circulation following a serious eye injury to British forward Andy Linton and a career-ending injury to Canadian defenceman Calvert Brown but has been re-introduced in recent years.

Player Records

All Time Statistics

• Most Games Played: 974 – Gordon Latto (Snr): (1972–1998)
• Most Points: 1265 – Gordon Latto (Snr): (1972–1998)
• Most Goals All time: 393 – Mark Morrison (1993–2005)

Season Records

• Most Goals in a Season: 108 – Dave Stoyanovich (1984–85)
• Most Assists in a Season: 117 – Dave Stoyanovich (1986–87)
• Most Points in a Season: 211 – Richard LaPlante (1991–92); 189 – Mark Morrison (1993–94); 188 – Bud Scrutton (1948–49); 185 – Dave Stoyanovich (1984–85) & Chick Mann (1948–49)
• Most Powerplay Goals in a Season: 38 – Russell Monteith (1999–00)
• Most Shorthanded Goals in a Season: 13 – Doug Smail (1993–94)
• Most Shut-Outs in a Season: 7 – Blair Daly (2006–07); 5 – Roy Reid (1964–65)

Game Records (All Players)

• Fastest Goal in 1 Game: 6 seconds – Les Lovell (1975)
• Most Goals in 1 Game: 13 – Dave Stoyanovich (1984)
• Most Assists in 1 Game: 13 – Steve Moria (1987)
• Most Points in 1 Game: 17 – Richard LaPlante (1991)

Game Records (Home Based Players)

• Most Goals in 1 Game: 8 – Jimmy Spence (1964); 7 – Les Lovell (1976) & John Haig (1997)
• Most Assists in 1 Game: 9 – Gordon Latto(Snr) (1977) & Ally Brennan (1976)
• Most Points in 1 Game: 11 – Gordon Latto(Snr), John Taylor & Les Lovell (all 1977) 10 – John Haig & Steven King (1997) 9 – Chic Cottrell (1974)

BIHWA Hall of Fame Inductees

• Floyd Snider (1951)
• Jack Dryburgh (1991)
• Lawrie Lovell (1992)
• Gordon Latto (1999)
• Jim Lynch (2001)

All Star Honours

Player of the Year Trophy^[2]

• Les Lovell 1970–71
• Ally Brennan 1972–73
• Gordon Latto 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79
• Dave Stoyanovich 1984–85
• Doug Smail 1993–94
• Mark Morrison 1996–97, 1997–98
• Stephen Murphy 1999–00

Coach of the Year Trophy^[3]

• Al Rodgers 1946–47, 1947–48, 1949–50
• Lawrie Lovell 1975–76
• Ron Plumb 1984–85
• Brian Kanewischer 1990–91
• Mark Morrison 1996–97, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2003–04

Player's Player of the Year

• Mark Morrison 1997–98
• Stephen Murphy 1999–00

Netminder of the Year

• Stephen Murphy 1999–00

Ahearne Medal

• Gordon Latto 1998

Rookie of the Year

• Chic Cottrell 1970–71

Young Player of the Year

• Iain Robertson 1989–90

Notable Former Players

• Ron Plumb
• Vincent Lukáč
• Doug Smail
• Laurie Boschman
• Jimmy Chappell
• Al Sims
• Mark Morrison

Honours

• Celtic League Playoffs: 2008–09, 2009–10
• Celtic League Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10
• British National League: 1999–00, 2003–04
• Grand Slam: 1977, 1999–00, 2005–06, 2006–07
• British Champions: 1976–77, 1977–78, 1984–85, 1998–99, 1999–00
• Scottish Premier Hockey League Champions: 2007–08
• Scottish Premier League Play-off: 2007–08
• Northern League Play-off: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11
• Northern League Champions: 1976–77, 1977–78, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11
• Autumn Cup: 1949–50, 1972, 1975, 1976, 2005, 2008
• Grandstand Trophy: 1964–65, 1966–67
• Spring Cup: 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77
• Anderson Trophy: 1938–39, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50
• Airlie Trophy: 1953–54
• McPherson Trophy: 1939
• Silver Jubilee Trophy: 1948
• Coronation Cup: 1948–49
• Scottish League: 1939–40, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1963–64, 1990–91, 1995–96, 2005–06, 2006–07
• Scottish Cup: 1984–85, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10
• Skol Cup: 1964, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1976–77
• Scottish Canada Cup: 1949–50
• STV Trophy: 1964–65
• Directors Trophy: 1965
• Cola-Cola Trophy: 1964–65
• Slapshot Trophy: 1977
• Evening News Trophy: 1976–77
• Forth Challenge Trophy: 1983
• Northumbria Cup: 1976–77
• Taws Trophy: 1990–91
• Christmas Cup: 1999–00
• Caledonia Cup: 2002–03, 2003–04
• Findus Challenge Cup: 2001–02

References

1. "FLYERS ANNOUNCE HUTCHINS AS ASSISTANT COACH".
2. "Player of the Year Trophy". Ice Hockey Journalists UK. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
3. "Coach of the Year Trophy". Ice Hockey Journalists UK. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-05-27.

External links

• Fife Flyers Team Web Page
• Kirkcaldy Ice Hockey Club Junior Development